2a.1 The First World War and its impsct on British India 1914-1920 Flashcards
What Were the Main Religions in India, Where Were They, and How Prevalent Were They?
Hindus: 70% of India.
Muslims: 20% of India, more prevalent in the North of India.
Buddhism: minority. More widespread in the South and Himalayan areas.
Sikhism: Minority. Fusion of Hinduism and Islam.
What were the reasons for British presence in India?
Trading: India was Britain’s largest trading partner. They were connected through the East India Trading Company. By the early 1900s, Britain sent an excess of £150million of goods to India, indicating India’s financial impact on Britain. In addition, Indian resources allowed trade with other countries.
War: Indian soldiers helped to fight in almost all British wars, including both World Wars, the Afghan Wars, and the Boer War. Lord Kurzon spoke of the military benefits of having Indian troops.
Geography: India was a prime trading location for Britain, particularly before the building of the Suez canal. India was a rest stop in the long journey when travelling to Australia for trade. In addition, India’s positioning allowed for trade with other Asian countries.
Labour: Indian labour allowed for the further building of the British empire in places like East and South Africa and the Caribbean.
Who was the Viceroy, who was the Secretary of State, and what was the Council of India?
Viceroy: A politically appointed man that represented the British crown in India. He worked in Delhi.
Secretary of State:Was politically appointed and was responsible for the development of Government policy toward India.
The Council of India: Devised a group of fifteen British men who advised the Secretary of State, however these men had little expression living in India, indicating their advice was out of date and on occasion dangerously inappropriate.
The Indian Civil Service
Ensured all British rules and regulations were implemented properly in India. They were incredibly efficient, and held a high rank above other administrators in the British empire. They dealt with all kinds of issues, and only consisted of British men until 1919.
Princely State
The Princely States were vast areas of land ruled by east Indian princes, rather than the Viceroy or the Indian Civil Service. In total, the Princes ruled about 35% of the country. The largest state was Hyderbad and the Smallest was Kathwar.
